Corporophobia

= fear of going to the toilet. Don’t laugh, millions hit by it already! I think I have a high probability of developing this judging from the way things are going.

Last Mon, I was happily doing my business at the public toilets at Wangsa Maju when the door opened on me. $%@#!

This is the SECOND time this has happened to me, and I really don’t know which is worse. The other time, it was the cleaning lady who opened it and announced to the world that I was shitting facing the wrong way, but this time it’s actually a GUY who opened the door. *cringes*

I had no idea that I was in the men’s toilet until I felt a weird sensation something might be wrong and turned around and saw to my horror someone looking in. WHO KNOWS HOW LONG HE’S BEEN LOOKING?!

In the split second I took to slam the door in that person’s face, I realised that the person looked suspiciously like a guy. My first thought was that he must have gone to the wrong toilet. Still I was pretty embarrassed and when I could hear him next door doing his business I ran like hell out of the toilet…




AND SAW THE STANDING URINALS I MISSED ON THE WAY IN… T_T

I really don’t know why I keep doing this kind of siasueh stuff. It seems to happen to me on a more than normal basis. Ah well, what’s life without some excitement huh.. See now both this guy and I have a story to tell our grandkids.

Personally, I blame the toilet signs for not being obvious enough. When you’re in a hurry, where got time to scrutinise the toilet signs! Don’t even get me started on the failing locks… Malaysian locks in particular seem to have a higher tendency of failing.

Me thinks that in general the difference between men and women’s toilet signs should be more obvious. Like this is definitely FAIL:


Toilet in bowling alleys, Sabah

These are quite creative, but the differences still need to be emphasised more. Somemore when you go bungy jumping u’ll surely be very nervous one right?






Women toilet signs should be in bright pink, labelled WOMEN big big. The toilet walls should be bright pink and with pink toilet bowls, fluffy chairs and all. The guys’ one, I don’t care. Just make sure a guy is always standing by the door.

As for these public toilets, I don’t even DARE to try..i just KNOW something bad’s gonna happen to me. Apparently the doors will open automatically after 15 mins, but I’m sure they’ll specially open it sooner just for me.


Photo from kennysia.com

2009

In 2009, I:

- streaked my hair red

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- became a tutor in a paper that I’ve never taken before

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- got a couple of jobs. and kept them!

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- modelled a Chinese costume chewah

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- earned more than I ever have in my entire life (3.5k only lar)
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- learnt to make proper coffee

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- tried to pick up French. failed miserably
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- got more involved in church

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- completed a half-marathon

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- read through 1st Peter (big accomplishment for me ok)

- made new friends! ruhanie, nat, dan, akemi, moi etc

- lost touch with some friends T_T

- emceed a fundraising event

- gained, lost, gained, lost, gained 2 kilos (it’s all muscle I tell you)

- went on an amazing trip to Marlborough Sounds with amazing flatmates + 1 random

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- got a degree!

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- advertised the mister’s channel hard out (click this out:

http://www.youtube.com/user/BuzBG

muahaha)

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Meh that’s all I can think of now. Altogether a very fulfilling year thanks to the big guy up there watching out for me :) Wonder what lies ahead next year?

I should have thought of this...

BEFORE I lost all my earrings T_T

My creative juices were overflowing, so I made my own jewellery holder! Not bad right.. As you can see, I love my hoop earrings.

This one Ruth gave me one.

I love my accessories, because no matter how fat I get, they still fit! I still have more apart from those above sigh. Think I need to go to AA-- accessories annonymous

Tweet

I was googling one of my sort-of-friend’s name just to see what would come up, and found out that he/she knows one of the top bloggers in Malaysia! How cool is that! Not revealing either name cos it’s just a bit stalkerish to be googling people’s names.. Just to clarify, I don’t do it all that often; it was just a random impulse. Really.

This post is so short I should’ve twittered/twitted it (whichever term people use). Alas my technological capacities aren’t that advanced yet.. I got a bit put off when I saw that one of the hottest topics on Twitter is “goodnight”. Like, duh.

Btw did you hear? Youtube, Twitter and Facebook are merging! Their new name is You Twit Face. (Haha, jokes)

Tutor Evaluation

Gee..thanks, I guess

Home

When I was in secondary school, I didn’t feel discriminated against at all. I could do all I wanted as long as I had the capabilities to do it. I was made a prefect, was on the committee of several clubs, took part in competitions... Of course, there were sensible limits such as not being able to lead prayers or join the Muslim society. Mostly though, things were based on merit. The Malay teachers were great, and I felt that I was treated the same as the majority Malay students. Although I hanged out more with my non-Malay friends, I could joke and talk with the Malay classmates like normal. I remember being invited to a Malay friend’s house, Aida, for a class gathering. I was blissfully unaware of any racial tensions. The 1969 riots were just a paragraph in my history textbook which never seemed quite real.

After that honeymoon period, things changed. I didn’t get a government scholarship despite getting straight As in my SPM. It seemed that apart from the government, others were keen to give me education opportunities; I got a scholarship from TAR college and Victoria University instead. Now that I am almost graduating and contemplating returning home to work, I am told that if I’m not a Malay, I can never advance to the topmost positions in the government no matter how good I am. Chinese high court judges remain where they are their whole lives as they see others more junior to them rise up to higher ranks. Is it a surprise that I struggle to find reasons to go back home and work, apart from being able to have my family and friends close by?

It doesn’t make sense. I felt welcomed and accepted by Malay friends back in secondary school, and I know that there are many Malays that don’t discriminate against others. Why am I made to feel the opposite way by the few Malays in power? Really, what is there to gain from making other races hate yours? Not that there is such as a thing as “race” anyway. I especially resent the fact that since young, I have been indoctrinated into thinking that there are 3 major races in Malaysia, Malay Chinese and Indian. That we are all different from one another. That because we are different, we have different rights. It is so ingrained that I instinctively feel more comfortable with someone who looks like a Chinese. The fact is, we are all born equal, but made unequal through circumstances in life. If only we had a government that would seek to restore equality among all. Perhaps, working towards that cause is a reason for me to go home, eventually.

Clubbing

I remember 3 years ago, I wrote a post on how the clubs here were so ultra classy compared to the ones back in Malaysia. I take that back. Well, about ¾ of it anyway. I now know that the reason why they seemed classy at that time was because it wasn’t midnight yet. Past that ungodly hour, the clubs show their true colours. I’ve always thought that I’m pretty open-minded but really, people should not be humping each other in public and girls should not wear dresses which cover their private parts only half the time. Admittedly, it’s still good fun to go clubbing once in awhile, and much safer as long as you don’t drink yourself senseless and you’re with a sensible bunch of friends. Sure beats prancing around in the bedroom with music blasting from tiny laptop speakers.

Speak Up

Yesterday in my Mediation class, the lecturer mentioned that most people are scared to death of speaking up in public. She’s met CEOs and high-standing people who absolutely dread talking in front of others.

It’s good to know that I am in the majority. When I am called (or volunteer) to perform this arduous task, my face turns bright red, my heart rate shoots up, and I cringe at the opera-high pitch of my voice due to nervousness. I play with a pen to hide the trembling of my fingers. I know better than to eat right before talking, cos my stomach would be churning so fast you can make butter in it. The butterflies don’t just stay in there; they invade every inch of my body. My worse case was back in high school where my eye started twitching uncontrollably. I fervently hoped that no one would notice. Sometimes I would have no recollection of whatever I’ve just said. To my credit, I think I hide my panic well most times.

I wonder why people are made to feel this way. I wish there was a better cure, but I think the only way to overcome this is by practice, practice and more practice. That’s why I let my mouth say yes before my brain gets the chance to say no when a public speaking opportunity arises. That’s why I think, or hope, that I am getting way better at this.

Where to from here?

I’ve been half-heartedly applying for jobs over here and contemplating where I’m going after I graduate end of this year.

I could stay in NZ, try and get a job, and apply for PR after 2 years. Then either stay on or head off.

Or I could just get married to a Kiwi and get my PR straightaway. ROTFLOL.

I could go back to Malaysia, study for the Bar for a year, be a chambering student (read: slave) for 9 months and then start practising as a lawyer.

Or I could go to the UK, pay exorbitant fees to study for a year to convert my degree, and then another year to take the Bar there. Then go back to Malaysia to do chambering (read: slaving) for 9 months.

I could do my Masters. (NOT appealing)

I could go on a working holiday all around the world for 6 months, ending up in UK just in time for my second bro’s graduation. Then choose one of the options above or settle down at somewhere that catches my fancy.

I like the sound of the last one. But being dad’s lil “thousand gold”, it’s an uphill battle for approval. Aieeeeee~

Home sweet home

After a year of being away from home, I'm like Gollum when anything remotely Malaysian comes along my path.. like kaya, Ipoh Old Town White Coffee, or the discovery of teh tarik at one of the restaurants here. It's a sure fire way of getting a huge face-splitting grin out of me...

My preciousssss~~~

Or more likely, MY PRECIOUS MY PRECIOUS MY PRECIOUS x 1000 + jumping up and down

Today, I had the brainwave of finding some online radio stations from Malaysia. Feels like I'm home, sigh~ yay for 988FM!

Zoo lesson 3

At the Wellington Zoo, they feed the chimpanzees human contraceptive pills and put sunblock on them every morning.

Me thinks the sunblock's obviously not working, since the chimps look as black as any other chimp in the wild.

Zoo lesson 2

Sun bears do NOT look like this:



And I never want to meet one in the wild.

Zoo Lesson 1 (Rating:R)

Baboons are the horniest creatures ever.

10 minutes later...

And the pack follows their leader...

Sole Asian

When my German flatmate moves in today, there is no doubt that I am, and will be, the only Asian in my flat for a couple of months at least. Currently, I have a Kiwi, a Belgian, and 2 American flatmates, and it’s been great fun.

After living overseas for years, there comes a point when you just cease to notice the colour of your skin, until the occasional Asian jokes surfaces. White people cease to be white people, and they don’t all look alike. You stop hugging random white guys cos you mistook them for your bf (I'm kidding).

Perhaps I just became one of them? I actually feel more comfortable talking to Malaysians here in English rather than Mandarin, even when their English isn’t that great. Some Kiwis are surprised when I tell them that I’ve only been in New Zealand for 3 years. I feel a mixed sense of chagrin and honour when I hear that. On one hand, I have successfully blended in. On the other hand, that could mean that I have abandoned my own culture. Maybe I am a SPG deep inside, treating Caucasians like gods, and wanting to be one of them.

But then again, I’m not really one of them. I can’t stand their notion of equating a good night out with getting pissed drunk, screaming like mad women and puking on the streets. Nor can I understand their national obsession with rugby (I’m generalising, of course). The ones that I do click with are the ones who are outside the norm.

The people I hang out with in law school are mostly Asians, although they come from Indonesia, China, Philippines, Hong Kong etc. When I see an Asian, I’m far more inclined to start up a conversation with him/her, compared to a Caucasian.

When it comes to matters of the heart , I spill my beans to a select few who are unsurprisingly, Malaysian mostly. The way I think and react is so ingrained in me by the culture I was brought up in that I know only Malaysians can truly understand what I am going through. The exceptions would be those whom I’ve known so long that they’ve come to understand my culture.

As a sidenote, it’s funny how when one is overseas, one is less a Chinese, Malay, or Indian. We’re just Malaysian. Maybe the whole population of Malaysia should migrate overseas. Maybe then we can be ‘Malaysia truly Malaysia’ instead of ‘Malaysia truly Malay Chinese Indian’. Or maybe we should just abandon race-based politics.

Why Harvey Dent?

(No no see if you haven't watched The Dark Knight)

In the Dark Knight, the Joker tells Batman that Rachel is at Avenue X and Dent is at 225 sth Street. Batman says he’ll save Rachel. Gordon brings all the police officers to 225 sth Street to save Dent. However, Batman ends up with Harvey and Gordon ends up where Rachel is. It wouldn’t make sense if Batman said he’ll save Rachel, but changed his mind and went to save Dent instead, since that means the police and Batman would have ended up in the same place, which they didn’t. A more likely explanation is that the Joker switched the addresses, giving Batman Dent’s address instead of Rachel’s. Love to Google for saving me endless hours of tossing in bed thinking about this, yay!

Happiness

I'm amazed sometimes at my ability to feel happy for others... non of that that's-great-for-you-wish-things-were-the-same-for-me-too, but a pure, genuine kind of joy when I hear good things happening to others.. so totally makes my day~!

People getting married...

People getting together...
People planning surprises for others...

*happy sigh~*

Can I just not care for once?

Yayness! I got a new template for my blog~ no more boring beginner templates that everyone else uses..although there're probably lotsa ppl using this one too.. but still not as many as my previous template, so there!


This morning, I was reading 2 Corinthians chapters 2 and 3.. what struck me was 3:18


But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.


Sometimes, envy gets the better of you.. especially when you're reading blogs, where people only post up the best sides of their faces (I might just be guilty of this), how wonderful their life is, and how much fun they're having all the time. It makes you wish that your life's more like theirs, that you are more like them.


But the Bible says that the person we should be mirroring is Jesus, and not some random blogger or some good-looking superhigh achiever. (Although Jesus was a superhigh achiever I reckon, and probably good-looking too :P ). We should want to be more like Him.


Must. keep. that. in. mind, although it's pretty hard I admit! I reckon I get swayed a tad too much by what the world thinks I should be, rather than what God wants me to be.

Pregnant?!

My obsession for flow-y blouses came to an all-time high when I found myself trying on MATERNITY clothes -_- It's ok it's ok, I'm on to frilly blouses now! Like this one:



*Warning: bimbomania* Nice kan nice kan? If you see anywhere got sell, lemme know k!! I'm hooked on the Korean drama series Yu Hee the Witch now, and I LOooVE the way the main character dresses after her transformation (Chewah, not only Transformers can transform). Plus the boyfriend always do romantic stuff for her, see already the heart can melt *HINT HINT* Mm.. next time if I work, I'll dress like the main character like that. I'm even thinking of getting a bob.. but the Mr said before, he'll grow long hair if I cut mine short, so.. CANNOT! maybe next time lah, when he no hair to grow long hair ady..hehehe~~~

Speaking of pregnancy, I was talking to my mum the other day. My mum said, give birth VERY painful one ok! And the contractions come so rapidly until you cannot breathe.. I can imagine all the bones around the vagina splitting, and all the blood and sweat and screaming and goo.. Worse, the horror doesn't end there.. After you give birth, some women will become fat like cow! I think I will be one of those lo.. Dammit, I don't wanna give birth! I shall be like Angelina Jolie and adopt black kids..



...



Ok la, even if I do give birth, I'm gonna make sure the dad of my kid is a super duper awesome guy who will pamper me like a princess especially during the 9 months of pregnancy and EXTRA especially after I give birth! Plus cannot dump me after I become fat.. must make him sign pre-nuptial or something..wahaha~~

Random update

You stray, you pay... But gee, what a price! Sorry Mr Chua, year end sale finish already. My condolences...

On another note, NEVER leave your pot unwashed for 3 weeks...